


the future's in out hands and we will never be the same again

by LiamDeLioncourt



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dustin Kropp has a crush on rich, Gen, I really am, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, M/M, Not really a ship-fic, References to Popular Culture, Trans Michael, Trans Rich, Use of the "d slur", bc im a shit writer, bonus points if u notice them, dedicated with apologies mtn dew and love to my bro, for reals this time, idk what else to tag so, im sorry for this, im sorry y'all, just in case, oh and, ok thats it, same tbh, seriously like if i wrote anything wrong and/or offensive just let me know, set during the fire, which im really sorry about and if it's offensive let me know and i'll change it, yeah i think thats about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 05:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11479914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiamDeLioncourt/pseuds/LiamDeLioncourt
Summary: There was a party, and there was a fire. And then everything went wrong.





	the future's in out hands and we will never be the same again

**Author's Note:**

  * For [michaelmxll](https://archiveofourown.org/users/michaelmxll/gifts).



> *percy jackson voice* look, i didn't want it to be so angsty.  
> it just... happened to be like this and im very very very sorry  
> it was requested by my lovely amazing talented bro on tumblr (like,, they only specified angsty-with-a-happy-ending expensive headphones fic + "i don't need your help" but this is what my brain wanted so yeah). i hope it's not too bad or anything (also unrelated but it's probably the longest thing i ever wrote lmao).  
> title from bastille's "things we lost in the fire" (also thanks bro for validating me and helping me choosing the title  
> oh and also before i forget it - the squip talking to rich is like sentences with italics (but like without quotation marks. if like. a sentence beings with quotation marks and has italics its just. like. a tone thing)  
> oh and like. notice the trigger warning in the tags and like. if something i did/wrote is offensive please let me know

 “Yo, dude!” Rich felt someone put a hand on his shoulder and turned around. Dustin Kropp was standing behind him, looking slightly worried. “I’ve been watching you for a while and you seem kinda… off.”

 

_Don’t you dare say anything, Rich. I’m warning you._ “I… I’m fine, I just…” Rich shuddered and looked around him, turning his voice into a slight whisper. “Do you by any chance have some Mountain Dew Red?”

 

“Mountain Dew Red? Dude, wasn't this shit discontinued in like, the 80’s?” Justin laughed, but quickly went back to his worried expression when he saw Rich’s face. “Dude, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… are you sure you’re okay?”

 

_Leave him. Now. He’s obviously laughing at you. Do you want people to laugh at you, Rich? Do you want to go back to being the_ loser _you were two years ago?_ Rich shuddered again. “N- no.” He turned to face Justin. “I- I need to go right now, immediately.”

 

“Rich? I just-” Rich barely managed to hear Justin’s response when his Squip activated his optic nerve blocking. _Good. Now, if you try to get rid of me one more time...._ Rich felt an electric shock moving through his body. _I’m terribly sorry, Rich, but you have to realize that I just want whatever’s the best for you. I want you to be happy. You know that only_ I _can make you truly happy, right? Remember where were you when you first installed me? You were a loser, barely had friends, got harassed by bullies because of your dyke-ish appearance. Look where you are now, Rich. Look how I managed to make your life better. You are one of the most popular guys at school. No one questions you about your appearance or pronouns anymore. No one even remembers you were ever anyone else besides who you are now. Do you really want to throw it all away, Rich? Do you?_

 

“N-no.” Rich choked out a sob. “But I have to.”

 

* * *

Rich continued his search for Mountain Dew Red, ignoring his Squip’s attempts of preventing him from finding a way to shut it off. He watched people talk to each other, having worry-less fun. A hint of jealousy went through his body. He shook it off, and went up to a random girl with blue hair who was laughing with her friends about something.

 

“Have you got some Mountain Dew Red?” Rich asked the girl and her friends. They turned to look at him.

 

“What?” The girl with the blue hair asked him.

 

“You got Mountain Dew Red?” He asked again. “It’s like normal Mountain Dew, but red.”

 

“Never heard of it.” The girl shrugged and turned back to her friends. “Do you guys know what the fuck does he want?”

 

“Can’t you just… put some red food coloring in like, regular Mountain Dew?” Asked one of the other girls. She was dressed up as Velma Dinkley from the Scooby Doo franchise.

 

“I- I don’t think so?” Rich asked in a confused tone.

 

“Well, try it then.” The girl shrugged. “It could work.”

 

“This party sucks. Let’s get the hell out of here.” A girl dressed all in black with black hair and red tips (A/N: yes this is exactly what you think it is) said. The way she said “the” sounded a lot more like “da”. (A/N: im so sorry but i had to)

 

“Yeah, totally. Let’s go,” said the blue haired girl, “Anyways, good luck with this Mountain Dew Red thingie. Toodles.” Rich watched as the girls got out of there, talking and laughing to themselves.

 

_Rich…_ He heard his Squip trying to communicate with him again,  and his panic rose. No. He wasn’t letting fucking Kermit win this round. Anger started to rise in his body. His heartbeat became faster. “Seriously?! WHERE THE FUCK CAN I GET SOME MOUNTAIN DEW RED?!” He screamed. People turned to look at him, some of them slightly amused. His confidence started to disappear. Fuck. He tried to find familiar faces in the crowd, and found Jeremy’s gaze. “Come on! Anyone? Please?” And then the laughter came. _Told you they would laugh at you. You should’ve listened to me._ Rich ran out of the living room.

 

‘Fuck you!’ He tried to mentally scream at his Squip. _You can’t get rid of me. You shouldn’t. I only want to improve your life, and you’re making it very hard right now, Rich._ ‘I’ll find a way to get rid of you, even if I have to get rid of myself! I…’ A thought crossed Rich’s head. _No, Rich. Don’t even think about it. You could die and harm others while doing so and I cannot allow that._ Rich just smiled a weak but cold smile. “Hell yes I can.”

 

_Warning. Warning. Warning. A message to the other Squips. Get out of here. Something bad is about to happen. Warning. Warning. Warning. A message to the other Squips. Get out of here. Something bad it about to -_

 

BOOM.

 

*** * ***

 

Michael Mell took a deep breath and splashed some more water on his face. He doesn’t have a reason to stay here at this stupid party anymore. He grabbed his binder from where he left it on the bathtub, took another deep breath and unlocked the door. There was a smell of smoke in the air. Fuck.

 

He tried to cover his mouth with his sweater sleeve so he won’t breath too much smoke. There were a few screams coming from downstairs but after a few minutes everything fell silent, with only the sound of uprising flames audible in the background.

 

“Hello?” Michael shouted, trying to sound loud enough without having to breath too much smoke. “Anyone in here?”

 

Silent. Michael hurried down the stairs, hoping no one was hurt or anything. The first floor was filled with even more smoke than the second, and for a moment Michael thought that everyone made it out outside safely, when he saw a small figure standing in the middle of the living room. He watched as the figure started coughing and sobbing.

 

“Hey!” Michael called out. “Are you okay there?”

 

The figure turned to face Michael. It took him a moment to realize that the mysterious figure in front of him was no other than Rich Goranski. “Rich? What happened? Are you okay?” He asked, stepping closed towards the shorter guy.

 

“No.” Rich collapsed on the floor, sobbing even harder than before. “Get out of here, save yourself.”

 

“What about you?” Michael sat down next to Rich, putting his hand on the other boy’s shoulder in order to comfort him.

 

“I- I can't do this anymore. I just…” Rich choked out another sob. “Would you please leave me alone so I can get this fucking over with?”

 

“What? Rich, no! You can die in here! Are you okay? Are you hurt? I- I can help you get outside and-”

 

“ _I don't need your help!_ ” Rich screamed at him and Michael backed out. “ _This_ is what I want.

 

A beat.

 

“I just… I don't want _anyone else_ to get hurt.” Another sob.

 

“Look, I understand what you're going through, I really do.” Michael reviewed the events of the night in his head. “Maybe not for the same reasons, but I do. I promise you, we can solve this. We can talk it out. We can try and make it better. Please, Rich. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I had the chance to save you but didn't do it. Please, let me help you.”

 

Michael held out his hand. “Please, Rich.”

 

They stared at each other for a long moment, before the fire increased and the smoke made it harder for them to breathe.

 

“I’m sorry, Michael.” Rich was about to burst further into the house, but Michael grabbed his arm and held him tightly.

 

“I already lost one friend today. I know we don't talk much and all, but I’m not losing you too.”

 

Rich hesitated, but as the flames grew closer, he started to push forward, trying to get out of Michael's tight grip. Michael only tightened his grip on Rich’s arm, muttering an apology.

 

“Rich, I’m begging you. Please, please let me help you!” Michael felt a tear sliding down his face. “I promise whatever it is you're struggling with, I will try to help you solve it. Just… please.”

 

A beat. The flames grew closer to them. Rich tried to take a deep breath but only managed to take in more smoke. He started coughing. Michael put Rich's right arm on his neck and placed his own left arm on Rich's waist to support him as they slowly and carefully made their way towards the door. As they reached Jake’s front porch, Rich collapsed on the grass, taking Michael down with him.

 

“I’m sorry for… y’know,” Rich said quietly, “Thanks. I… I don't even want to think what would've happened to me if it weren't for you.”

 

“Hey, no problem, dude. You would've done the same, right?” They both laughed awkwardly for a while before Rich started coughing again. Michael tried to gently pat his back. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

 

Rich smiled a slight smile and closed his eyes. Michael let out a sigh and watched as the police cars and fire trucks drove closer to the front porch of Jake Dillinger’s house. They were going to be fine.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed it and im sorry if it's too sad or anything. kudos/comments are very much appreciated!! i love y'all! :)


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